Largo, Md. native Patrick Blanchard proved that having fun and working hard can be a winning formula when he created an entertainment news blog “just for fun” four years ago and eventually turned it into one of the most visited blog sites in the Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia region, an area now known as the DMV.

Blanchard has long been known to his peers as Pat but he is even more widely known on the Internet as PATisDOPE, also the name of his award-winning blog site.

The 24-year-old blog connoisseur honed his skills first academically, studying communications at Salisbury University. But it was in the retail industry as he forged his interest in “street wear” culture into a knack for fashion and entertainment marketing.

He did what he loved: go to just about every party, music or fashion event in the “DMV” region and report on it for his blog. Fast forward to the present. PATisDOPE.com is now a nationally recognized blog site with video archives filled with several one-on-one interviews of famous music artists and personalities, including Lupe Fiasco, Wale, Big Sean, Dom Kennedy, Yo Gotti, Kendrick Lamar, Joe Budden, Big K.R.I.T., A$AP Rocky, Method Man, Smoke DZA, 9th Wonder, Fat Trel, Tabi Bonney, Estelle and Shy Glizzy.

PATisDOPE.com has more than million hits, according to Blanchard, who claims to have nearly a thousand subscribers for his web site.

While the video interviews posted on his site have been the subject of more than 40,000 views combined, he said his Twitter page, @PATisDOPE, used to reach most of his blog’s audience, has more than 140,000 followers.

“I consider myself as the voice of the ‘DMV’ area and I pride myself in being a dedicated hardworking person who stands out from among the crowd,” Pat told the AFRO. “People say I motivate them to do better and I give them hope to be successful. I show them that you can accomplish your goals right here in your own city instead of moving to Los Angeles, New York, or any other major city.”

Blanchard also co-hosts Fly Boy Radio, which airs on WMUD, an online aggregation of radio stations globally. He claims to have had an impact in the events promotion industry, regularly hosting some of the top parties in D.C., he said.

“A good time to me is being able to host an event in front of huge crowds and being able to go party with my friends in one of the top cities in the world, right here in D.C.,” Pat told the AFRO just one day after returning to the District from hosting parties in Charlotte, N.C. in connection with the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Tournament.

“The ‘DMV’ has so much talent and has grown so much over the past few years,” he said. “In my opinion our area is taking over the country and I am just blessed to be a part of the growth.”